Boxing Scene Names Nonito Donaire as 2012 Fighter of the Year

After getting the nod of world-renowned sports media ESPN, Nonito “The Filipino” Donaire was also named by Boxing Scene as the 2012 Fighter of the Year after scoring four emphatic victories this year and his stance on random doping test.

Boxing Scene’s Jake Donovan announced the honor, saying that the current World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion was too impressive in his four fights, which enabled him to edge boxers like Danny Garcia and Juan Manuel Marquez for the Fighter of the Year citation.

Donovan said: “Nonito Donaire proved that he was better than everyone else in the sport over the course of the past 12 months. With that comes the reward of being recognized as 2012’s Fighter of the Year.”

Garcia was also a strong candidate for the award after a string of impressive performances this year, knocking out Amir Khan and winning twice against legendary Mexican boxer Erik Morales, including an emphatic fourth-round knockout in their rematch in October.

Marquez was also named as candidate for knocking out rival Manny Pacquiao in their fourth showdown earlier this month.

But despite the strong performances of Garcia and Marquez, Donaire’s knockout win against Jorge Arce on December 15 proved to be the deciding factor in addition to his impressive knockout win against Toshiaki Nishioka and decision victories against Wilfredo Vasquez and Jeffrey Mathebula.

Donovan said: “The advantage Donaire enjoyed was the fact that he had the last fight scheduled among any viable candidate. Unlike the anti-climactic ending that came of his 2011 campaign, Donaire had one last chance to either reclaim his lead or add to it.”

Donovan also cited Donaire’s decision to undergo a year-round random drug testing, becoming the first boxer to submit himself to that kind of doping test.

Donovan said: “Donaire’s stance on the subject was a rare breath of fresh air, in a year where performance enhancing drug (PED) use had run rampant in our sport. Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, whose headquarters are in Nevada but with representatives around the world, was about to forever put Donaire under its microscope. He was fine with it.”

Aside from Donaire, Garcia, and Marquez, Adrien Broner, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Wladimir Klitschko, and Brian Viloria were also considered for the year-end award.